Modern mobile communication network services are evolving to those supported by various combinations of mobile communication network equipment, such as 2nd Generation (2G), 3rd Generation (3G), and 4th Generation (4G) mobile communication network equipment and backhaul and backbone network entities, such as wired communication equipment, including switches, routers, and other mobile communication network equipment. Furthermore, as next generation wireless network environments evolve to further include Internet Protocol (IP) network features, such complexity continues to increase.
Accordingly, network operators use different kinds of Operation And Maintenance (OAM) schemes for managing network failure and quality. However, a need for a Service Level Agreement (SLA) method for collectively managing a network status and quality, from among complicated network nodes, while guaranteeing interoperability among networks, instead of a solution customized only for a particular operator, is growing in order to measure each end-to-end service quality.
In particular, an issue of the quality of next generation wireless networks including Long Term Evolution (LTE) has thus far been consistently raised, and demand for collectively measuring an end-to-end SLA in a network formed of a combination of pieces of equipment of various different networks has increased.
The network quality may be measured with different parameters. The parameters may be classified into a network perspective and a user perspective. From the network perspective, the network quality may be measured by measuring parameters, such as throughput, packet loss, delay, jitter, and other similar and/or suitable parameters; and from the user perspective, the network quality may be measured by measuring a service time, a response time, or other similar and/or suitable parameters.
As mentioned above, with the evolution of mobile communication network services in generations, equipment and elements of various different networks are involved in mobile communication services. Thus, a need exists for a method for measuring network quality, which supports compatibility of various network equipment and elements.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.